Today is one of those perfect autumn days, absoloutely beautiful. The sky is blue with little traces of cloud and the air is cool enough that the grass was still dew-wet at noon.

I slept in a little bit this morning, worked on some things and then decided to go outside and enjoy the day. I didn’t really need to go to the market, but it was an excuse to get out of the house so I went down the hill with my shopping bag and picked up some nice crunchy apples, spring onions and noodles for yakisoba.

On the way back I couldn’t resist stopping for a bit at the park down the road and playing on the swings. It’s a very small park, usually empty and it only has one set of swings and a huge jacaranda tree arching overhead. It was leafy green today, but when its in flower it becomes a scented lilac cloud that rains petals on me as I swing. A curious little willy wag tail came to join me and I watched him catching bugs out of the air like a tiny acrobat and swinging his fan shaped tale back and forth.

This afternoon I have a few letters to answer, and then I’m going to sit outside and enjoy my book with a nice big bowl of hot chocolate! Tonight I’m going to a friend’s place to play boardgames and catch up with everyone, can’t wait!

I finally finished my illustration to my Princess Challenge story for last month, The Lion of Astolat. I hope you like it!

When I picked up this book it immediately made me think of my friend the Pirate Princess! The beautiful illustrations on the cover, with aqua blue water, palm trees and a map of some exotic world enticed me to see what was inside, and I’m glad I did because it was quite an adventure!

The Princess and the Captain (Anne-Laure Bondoux, translated by Anthea Bell) is the tale of Princess Malva of Galnicia. Malva is fed up with palace life and acting as a doll for her father the Corondador to marry off as he pleases, so she decides to run away and live a free life. Orpheus is the son of a long line of captains, the sea is in his blood but he has never set foot on a ship, until the Princess goes missing and he is sent out to bring her home.

The story takes Orpheus and Malva, and an unusual and motley crew for adventures on the high sea where they encounter strange creatures and magical islands and must face tests that uncover their deepest longings and darkest secrets. It is a very fast paced, action filled story so I found it hard to put down!

I initially didn’t sympathise with Malva very much, she was hot headed and rash and seemed to have little concern for others, however by the end of the book I really liked how her character had grown and learnt through her experiences and I could identify with her a lot more. I think this book would adapt well in to a movie, with some dashing actor as Orpheus! The only criticism I have, is that I felt the translation lacked a bit of personality in the writing style, I would really like to read the original in French someday and see if it was a bit richer in that aspect.

Nonetheless, a great read and another one for the fierce and independant Princesses!